In the medical field there are many types of wounds that require treatment. In some instances they are post-operative wounds, but in other instances they can be open wounds that cannot yet be closed, as where infection sites exist, where open wounds require periodic application of medicine, or where the wounds are chronic non-healing pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers or where the wounds are too large to close surgically and must be allowed to heal on their own. In such cases, it is known that it can be desirable from the point of wound treatment, to apply a negative pressure or suction to the wound to remove fluids and exudates from the wound.
Various techniques to promote healing of a wound involve providing suction to the wound. For example, a vacuum source may serve to carry wound exudates away from the wound, which may otherwise harbour bacteria that inhibit the body's natural healing process. One particular technique for promoting the body's natural healing process may be described as negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). This technique involves the application of a reduced pressure, e.g. sub-atmospheric, to a localized reservoir over a wound. Sub-atmospheric pressure has been found to assist in closing the wound by promoting blood flow to the area, thereby stimulating the formation of granulation tissue and the migration of healthy tissue over the wound. This technique has proven effective for chronic or non-healing wounds, but has also been used for other purposes such as post-operative wound care.
The general NPWT procedure provides for covering the wound with a flexible cover layer or film, also denoted surgical draper, such as a polymeric film, for example, to establish a vacuum reservoir over the wound where a reduced pressure may be applied by individual or cyclic evacuation procedures. To allow the reduced pressure to be maintained over time, the cover layer may include an adhesive periphery that forms a substantially fluid tight seal with the healthy skin surrounding the wound.
Although some procedures may employ a micro-pump contained within the vacuum reservoir, most NPWT treatments apply a reduced pressure using an external vacuum source. Fluid communication must therefore be established between the reservoir and the vacuum source. To this end, a fluid port is often coupled to the cover layer to provide an interface for a fluid conduit extending from the external vacuum source. The fluid port typically exhibits a degree of rigidity, which provides for a convenient reception of the fluid conduit. WO-1999/013793 and WO-2009/002260 disclose typical examples of NPWT treatment devices. In WO-1999/013793 is disclosed a surgical drape and suction head for wound treatment. The surgical drape and the suction head combination is used for attaching the suction head to the wound area. And, in WO-2009/002260 is described a device for treatment of wounds with reduced pressure that comprises a sealing film, which is placed sealingly around the wound to cover the wound, an under-pressure source, as well as a tube, which connects a space over the wound and beneath the sealing film to the under-pressure source.
In some prior art arrangements, which some have been described above, the fluid port may project somewhat from the surrounding skin, and may thus tend to cause discomfort for patients as the fluid port is inadvertently pressed into the wound. This tendency is particularly evident when a fluid port is used on wounds on a patient's back, heel or other locations where pressure points develop as the patient reclines or sits. Accordingly, in some occasions, it may be advantageous to position the fluid port at a location remote from the wound, and to draw fluid from the wound to the remotely positioned fluid port. Such a technique is often referred to as a bridging arrangement; see e.g. WO-2010/085270 which in particular relates to a method and apparatus for bridging from a dressing in negative pressure wound therapy.
In WO-2010/085270 is also disclosed a wound dressing provided with a contact layer positioned in direct contact with a bed of a wound. A wound filler is positioned in the wound over the contact layer and is intended to allow the wound dressing to absorb, capture and/or wick wound exudates. The wound dressing also includes a cover layer to be positioned over the wound to form a substantially fluid-tight seal with the surrounding skin. The cover layer includes an aperture through which wound fluids and atmospheric gases may be removed from the dressing under the influence of a reduced pressure. A fluid port having a flange is arranged to facilitate connection of the wound dressing to a fluid conduit. The fluid port is affixed to the dressing e.g. by means of an adhesive on the underside of the flange.
Thus, a wound filler, having a three-dimensional shape is adapted to the shape of the wound and placed in the wound. Thereafter an airtight wound cover film, provided with a suitable adhesive on the surface adapted to face the skin, is arranged to hold the wound filler in the required position by attaching the wound cover film to the healthy skin around the wound to keep wound filler in position. If a negative pressure wound therapy is to be used an aperture must be made in the wound cover film in order to apply the negative pressure. The aperture, or opening, is made e.g. by a pair of scissors to manually make a hole in the film to gain connection to covered wound filler. Then a fluid port is attached to the film such that an air-tight fluid connection is established between the wound and an external device, e.g. a negative pressure wound therapy device.
This known procedure is schematically illustrated by the flow diagram in FIG. 13. The last step in addition includes peeling away a protective film on the adhesive, aiming and then pressing the fluid port such that the opening in the fluid port corresponds to the aperture made in the film.
The present inventor has identified that some improvements may be preferred for the presently used device. One is related to that it is sometimes difficult to assure that the openings in the fluid port and the wound cover film correspond, which may be beneficial in order to achieve an air tight connection.
In addition, the adhesive used at the surface of the fluid port in order to attach it to the wound cover film may, in some occasions, result in leakage problems in the interface between the edge of the fluid port and the cover film.
Thus, one object of the present disclosure is to provide for an airtight connection between a fluid port and an opening in the wound cover film.
A further object is to achieve a way of attaching a fluid port to a wound cover film without using an adhesive.
Another object of the present disclosure is to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.